We’re David and Lois McBeath. We live in Point Pleasant, WV – a small town along the Ohio River on the western side of the state. We have 2 sons. Austin is 15. He’s a sophomore at Pt. Pleasant High School. Darrell is almost 12. He’s in the 6th grade at Roosevelt Elementary.
We actually began our adoption journey more than 10 years ago. I saw an ad in the newspaper about Chinese babies. We called about it, but it just wasn’t even feasible at that time in our life. All these years, it was always there, stuck somewhere in the back of our minds. I don't know why exactly – it just was. The thought never completely went away.
We also talked off and on about having another child. Our house was only 3 bedrooms, and we know the boys could have been in a room together, but we didn't want to do that if we didn't have to. In the spring of 2006, for some reason (I don't recall exactly what) - it came up again. We started thinking and talking - why not? So we started checking into it more. We did a lot of research online. The more we found out, the more we felt a calling, a desire and even a need to do this.
We started the adoption and added onto the house all at the same time. It took about 6 months to get the paperwork together. Then about another month after we sent it to China for them to translate it and 'log us in' (11/6/06). That's when we started to officially wait.
We finally got "THE CALL" on 7/13/08. It was a Sunday afternoon! After 2 ½ years, we are finally going to get our baby!


Leila Ann McBeath, formally known as Shun Xi Yi, was born on Oct 29, 2007. She had a cleft lip and cleft palate. The lip has been repaired, but not the palate. (We'll have to do that when we get her home.) She's in the Children's Welfare Institute of Shunde District of Foshan City, which is located in the Guangdong Province, in the southern part of China.

Shunde, the hometown of flowers, is one of four cities under the jurisdiction of Foshan City. Covering an area of 806 sq meters and with a population of 1.05 million, Shunde City is situated in the middle of the fertile Pearl River Delta, between Guangzhou and Hong Kong. It was set up as a county in the 3rd year (1452 AD) of the Jintai reign of the Ming Dynasy (1368-1644), and conferred with the administrative status of a city in 1992 by the State Council.

Foshan City is also where the actor Bruce Lee was from.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

A Change of Seasons

Summer has come and gone.

In June, Austin turned 21. He's a full-fledged adult now.

We went on a big family vacation.
We flew to FL, spent a day at Sea World and then got on a cruise ship to Mexico.
(He spent his actual birthday at Sea World - probably not the place and with who most people spend their 21st birthday, but that's ok.)

We went to Cozumel and Grand Cayman.

In Grand Cayman, the guys (David, Austin and Darrell) went scuba diving, and the girls (Lois, Linda and Leila) went on a tour of the island, on a semi-sub and to a turtle farm.


Once we got to Cozumel, we all went together and swam with the dolphins. I think that was definitely the highlight of the trip.


Darrell left shortly after we came home for 3 weeks.
He was selected to attend the WV Governor's Honors Academy in Fairmont.
We missed him (especially Leila), but it was a great honor and an amazing opportunity for him.

July brought a family wedding.
Leila was the flower girl.
She absolutely LOVED dressing up and being in the middle of everything.
She can't wait for someone else to get married now, so can do it again!


July was also another minor surgery.
This was a lip revision. It was outpatient, so it wasn't too bad.
(Allie the bear was also very brave.)


School started the middle of August.
Leila is in first grade, and Darrell is a senior!

School of course brings sports.
For Darrell that meant cross country.
This was his 6th (and final year).
He was co-captain, and a little sad when it was all said and done.

We let Leila do 2 things at the same time this year - cheer leading and soccer.
It made for an extremely busy and hectic 2 months, but we figured if it was only 2 months - surely we could handle it.


October brought Homecoming, Halloween and Birthdays.
Leila turned 7, and Darrell turned 18. (Now he's a 'legal' adult too!)





Rather than having a party to celebrate the kids' birthdays this year, we took a short weekend trip to Great Wolf Lodge.
(I guess if Austin spent his 21st with us on a family vacation, then Darrell should have to spend his 18th on a trip with us as well!)
We went with 2 other families and had a blast.
We would definitely like to go back - it's the perfect winter get-away.


Now, cross-country is over - swimming has started.
Soccer and cheer leading are over - we're back in ballet.
Fall is over - winter is upon us.
I guess - ALL the seasons have changed.

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